THE BKOWTf WOOfl.S\\Kr 



LSI 



living in trees, ami darting its lithe fonn from l-ram-h to branch with arrow like celerity, 

 leaping. Jis it w,-r.-. from the coiled foils in which it pit-pares ji^-lf f,,,- ,|,,. *|,,j, 

 through the N.ughs as if shot from a bow, it.s glitteiin.: scales tla-lm, sipphi 



rine radiance. a> it glances through tli.- MinN-ams. 



Tli.- head of the Boiga in long and si-ndd. as 1. seems ii,,. delicate body ; tin- oye is very 

 full and roiin.l. ami the gai>e very wide. The np|-r jurt of it.s Unly is ii,-),. shining l>lue, 

 shot with >|.arklinir gn-.-n ; :.n.l thrw bright. u'"ll.-n sni^-s run aloiui tin- lm.lv. on.- tnivcre- 

 ing thf spinal lin.-, an-l anoth.-r juissing alomr .-a.-h >il.\ It-hind nu-h eye IMII l.ll j-tty- 

 l>la-k stn>:ik. and imm.-diat.-ly In-low th- Mark lim- runs a strii*- of pur.- whit,- 



The specific name ought properly to be njK-ll.-.! l.-imvn-u.s. It is of (irvek origin, and 

 signifies smooth-tail, in allusion to the Hin.iotli surfao-d noalea of the bark and tail. 



TIIK family of the Wood-Snakes, or Dryiophida*, as they are learnedly called, contains 

 some interest ini; and rather cu- 

 rious reptiles. 



The GOLDEN TREE-SNAKK, 

 which is a native of Mexico, is a 

 most lovely sped-'s. ami of a 

 most singular length, looking 

 more like the thong of a "gig 

 whip" than a living reptile. It 

 lives in tr--s. and in many re- 

 spects resembles the preceding 



sj^-rj.-s. It is ii.. I -,. ;_',.ri;foi|s|\ 



decorated as the boiir.i, )>ut its 

 colors are beautifully soft and 

 d.-licat.-. The general tint of 

 this s-rj>.-nt is gray, tinged with 

 yellow, and having a golden 

 n-nVrtioii in certain lights, and 

 being decidedly iridescent in 

 others. The body is profusely 

 covered with minute dottings of 



Mark. 



THK accompanying illustra- 

 tion represents the LAXOAHA, 

 one of the Serpents of Madagas- 

 car, remarkable for the singular 

 appendage to the head. The 

 muzzle is extremely elongated, 

 and is furnished with a tl.-shy 

 projection, about on*-thinl as 

 long as the head, and covered 

 with small scales. There is an- 

 other species, the COCK'S-COMB 

 LANOAHA (Langaha rritta-gal- 



dso a native of Madagascar, 

 which is known from the ordi- 

 nary species by the form of the 

 appendage, which is toothed 

 something like the comb upon a cock's head. 



IriM.) 



Tin- color f the Lnngaha is reddish -brown. 



A VERT beautiful example of the Wood-Siiak.-s is found in Oylon. This is the BKOWX 

 WOOD-SNAKE (Pattenta mycteritans). Like the langaha, the snout of this Serpent is 



